south-asian-militant-groups-and-global-jihad-in-2015

QUILL IAM
Afghanistan
1. After the Taliban, Hezb-i-Islami (HIG) is the second largest terrorist
group in Afghanistan: 36
The group’s ideology stems from both the ideologues of the Muslim
Brotherhood, and Abul A’la Maudadi’s Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI). The
group seeks to emulate the Ikhwan of Saudi Arabia, and replace
various tribal factions with one unified Islamic state. This ideology
is in direct contrast to the Taliban’s approach in Afghanistan, which
focuses on the sustenance of tribal structures and orientations.
Today, the non-violent faction of HIG is registered as a political
party in Afghanistan.
HIG has been responsible for two major attacks: a suicide attack in
Kabul in 2010, carried out by a young woman who killed nine
people, and an attack in Kabul in May 2013, which killed 16 people.
It is estimated that the group’s military component consists of
1,000 fighters, including part-time fighters. 37
2. Haqqani Network is an Islamist insurgent group:
Initially, the group was nurtured by the CIA and ISI during the
1980’s Soviet War in Afghanistan. It was banned by Pakistan in
January 2015, following the Peshawar school attacks by the
Taliban in December 2014. The group is seen as an important
Taliban ally, and has collaborated with Al-Qaeda. 38 Al-Qaeda’s
goals are global and use global means; whereas Haqqani Network
is interested in Afghanistan and the Pashtun Tribal regions.
Previous attacks have included suicide bombings in the
Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in 2011, and bombings in Kabul in
late 2014 that killed two US soldiers. In total, the group has
conducted 66 terrorist attacks from September 2006 to September
2013. 39
The number of fighters within the Haqqani Network varies
between 4,000 and 12,000 people, with up to 10,000-15,000
fighters claiming allegiance. 40
The New York Times reported that in September 2011, the
Haqqanis have set up a "mini-state" in Miranshah with courts, tax
offices and madrassahs, and that the network runs a series of front
companies selling automobiles and real estate. 41 They also receive
funds from extortion, kidnappings, and smuggling operations
throughout eastern Afghanistan.
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